Disciple
by regertz
Summary: The 13th Doctor finds restoring Gallifrey has consequences involving old friends and associated others…
1. Chapter 1

"Disciple…"

Summary: The 13th Doctor finds restoring Gallifrey has consequences involving old friends and associated others…

[Note-Some references are made to events in my dual tales "Philippi" and "Missy Song"]

Disclaimer: No copywright infringement intended.

"You are the Lady Emeritus President of Gallifrey, Doctor." Voice intoning grimly. The Doctor sighed, regarding the face before her in holographic form, that of the same Gallifrean Lady General, and Acting Lady President by appointment, the Twelfth Doctor had encountered.

"And I made you Acting Lord…Excuse me, Lady…I can't stop thinking of you as the General…President of Gallifrey so I wouldn't have to deal with all the nonsense." The Doctor glared at the image standing in her TARDIS. "I think I've earned that, a bit…What, saving all of you? Restoring you to the universe without bringing back the Time War. Was that not enough?"

"There are consequences, Doctor Lady President." The grim woman pronounced. "Even as you managed to restore Gallifrey without massive destruction, consequences remain. There are cracks in Time that must be dealt with."

Upturned eyes… "Oh…Cracks again, is it? Well, there are now six billion plus Gallifreans, meaning at least a hundred million Time Lords and Ladys all equally skilled as I in time manipulation. Can't a few of you lot, just this once, deal with it? It being a consequence, as you so nicely pointed out…Of your restoration to reality." Glare.

"The minor ones we could, we have…But there are five major cracks or riffs that must be repaired. All of them associated, naturally…With you." Cold stare.

"Naturally…" sigh… "Thank you, Universe."

"And so, only you, my Lady President, can deal with them. As you have, as you so…Nicely…Pointed out, before." Frosty smile. "Though we of Gallifrey do stand ready to help. You are not alone now, Doctor." Arch smile now. "And you have had your reward…Waiting for you, in Time."

"Oh, I don't know about that…River and Clara can be a handful. And you might remember I was denied even that 'reward', for now."

"In Time, Doctor Lord President. In Time you shall have your reward…But not if Time is broken, permanently. Surely after all you have done to secure Gallifrey…Dr. Song/Ms Oswald…Your beloved Humaniy…The Future of all universes…"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah…" wave of hand "…Except that I have to go and be Ms. Fix-it...Again." Frown.

"It was not our choosing…" firm stare. "And we regret you must do this. But we trust in you, Doctor…You who saved us all. Who saved the Master from herself."

"I did no such thing." Sigh. "She reverted…Missy met herself and reverted."

"You left too quickly…And that is one of the fault lines. Indeed several involve the Mistress/Master…"

"Does she live? Still?" The Doctor, keen stare, intently. "Did Missy escape?"

"We don't know…But a fault line exists at the point you left her and her counterpart. But that is for a later time. The greatest, most dangerous riff is one reaching long ago, back into your past…Even beyond…The Doctor."

"My past? Back before I left Gallifrey?" The Doctor stared. "But I can't cross my own past…That is a firm law of Time. One even I can't break, except on the fringes at one of my deaths." She paused. "I just got here and you want me to die again, is that it?"

"Far worse, Doctor." Grim stare. "Far worse."

…

Gallifrey, The Academy of the Time Lords…

A vast hall, hundreds of young candidates seated or in some cases where on expeditions or actual missions, in holographic form…

In one row…Amongst dozens of nervously quiet fellow students…

"Here she comes…Madame Pomposity…" whisper.

"Kolschei…" warning tone. "You don't need more demerits."

"Admit you agree…" holding up finger. "Don't lie…"

"Yeah, she's pompous. But, you needn't pronounce it around the whole Hall…"

"Coward." Hiss. "Alright…But you owe me twice now."

"Fine…"

"And that means I can collect, now…You know the rules, initiate." Grin.

"Kolschei…"

"You wanted to be initiated, I spoke for you…"

"Fine…I know the rules…" anxious whisper. "But lets get through the lecture and you can collect later."

"Hmmn…No. I choose to collect now. Or, rather at the end of the lecture, since you deserve to suffer through it."

"Fine, if it'll keep you still during her speech."

"Right then. When it's over, stand up and declare her the most boring creature in all Universes. That is my command as your senior in the Circle. And you owe me, best friend." Smile. "Time to pay up."

"What? She'll throw me into the Schism."

"Well then, you'll have finally seen it and this time not been able to run away…" grin. "Do it, initate…Or I call you coward and welcher. And we are no longer best friends."

Sigh…

"Look…She might be a little mad but she'd never throw a student into the Schism…Take your duty on you and be a member of the Circle…And a Time Lord."

"Probably give me two weeks detention…"

"Probably…More likely two months…" grin. "Consequence of getting initiated early, my friend. Well? Show me what you're made of."

"All right…Fine…"

"Students!" grim cry. "Attention for the Lord High Professor, Maksuda, called the Lioness…"

"With…Goood…Reason…" grin to the anxious comrade now steeling himself.

…..

The Stormcage Prison…Block Z-114, Cell 1001…

5098 ad in Earth time…

"You're allowed full contact with the prisoner but all conversations must be monitored, Doctor." The guard officer leading the Doctor noted, her men at the ready about her, weapons similar to assault guns but nothing so feeble in firepower, out.

"Naturally…I understand. I could be an imposter…Really sophisticated android, new unknown shapeshifter or telepathically mind controlling type seeking intel or alliance, even you know who, in disguise…"

"Yes…" curt reply. "Not to mention, an assassin."

"Really? Assassins? But she's such a lovely person, now…" shrug. "Well, I suppose that's to reason. She did antagonize a lot of people in her day...Days past and yet to come…"

"Quite." Stern reply. "Here we are…Access cell 1001." The officer informed the wall panel monitor. "We'll be in position outside, Doctor. Two men in with you, orders to shoot to kill, even a Time Lord."

"Really? That fancy these gadgets?" The Doctor eyed the weapons of the two guards moving to follow her.

"Yes. That fancy." Nod. "Access granted."

She stepped in, the guards following…A solitary figure at desk rising with smile…

"Hello…"

"Empress Davia...? How are you doin'?" beam…

"Just Davia, Doctor…" wan smile from the lovely blonde woman, image yet of Rose Tyler, now in prison fatigues. "Well enough…Working on some calculations of 11th Dimensional Space-Time Anomalies, a topic I worked on way back when on Scaro, hoping to cobble a paper out of it. So, busy enough, how are you these days?"

"Oh, can't complain…Still kicking round."

"So I see…Nice new form by the way. Female, at last, eh? I know at least one of your Companions who'd enjoy that. Not to mention your own dear wife…When I meet her for lunch today." Smile.

"You and Stormcage River? Hang out?" The Doctor stared. "Oh, my…"

"Exchanging notes, yeah." Grin. "Though not all regards you…" wider grin. "If you can stay…?"

"Another time, or maybe if I can get back today… Right now, I need your help, again."

"I'm here. What's up? Something Davros did, I'm sure." Sigh.

"Not entirely but he was involved…Sorry to dredge up the past."

"I'm responsible, I'll do what's needed. How can I help?"


	2. Chapter 2

"Disciple…"

Summary: The 13th Doctor finds restoring Gallifrey has consequences involving old friends and associated others…

[Note-Some references are made to events in my dual tales "Philippi" and "Missy Song"]

Disclaimer: No copywright infringement intended.

Part II…

Farmland outside the Gallifrean capital…

" Never cowardly or cruel, never give up, never give in…" the voices intoned.

"The words that are promises to be kept, are well chosen. Welcome, to the Circle of Those Who Chose to Act, initiate. State the name you wish to take for Action…" a voice, that of the voice of one of the two from the Academy gallery, spoke.

"That is, if you still can speak…" grin. "I know you won't be able to stand for a week after the neutronic caning the Lioness gave you. A high honor, you know…She rarely administers punishment in person these days."

"The Doctor…" the other voice from the Academy spoke, a bit feebly. "And yes, not for a week." Rueful shrug.  
"But at least she did it in private, in her office. And she won't tell my parents, she promised so long as I learn to keep a civil tongue in my head." Wan smile. "She would have stopped after the first two lashings but I couldn't promise that…"

"Ssssmmm…Ah, ha, ha , ha…" hearty laugh… "Members of the Circle Who Chose to Act, I give you our new member, The Doctor!"

"Well, I rather think it better than 'The Master'…" The young Doctor smiled.

"'The Master of Fate', say the whole thing…You make me sound like a pompous conqueror. 'Of Fate', meaning I can change Fate or rather I pledge to try to." Kolschei, a tall, smiling, dark-haired boy among the members…Six in all, two apparently teen-aged females, the two teen-aged males-himself and the newly christened 'Doctor', and two children, one a young girl of about eight or nine by appearance, the other a boy of about the same age.

"Is regeneration so awful?" one of the teenaged females asked the younger-looking girl.

"Terrible, but it was an accident on mission and I had too." Sigh. "So 'The Doctor', 'The Master of Fate', are we also supposed to take our titles now, before official graduation?"

"it's not a requirement to use them, though we do need to know the titles you will take." Kolschei noted.

"What if I should choose no title but Time Lady…" the girl asked, arch look. "Surely the title of Time Lady or Lord's grand enough. Many don't take such things."

"The Lioness did, and no one questions her." The Doctor noted.

"'Doctor'? You look anything but…" the teenaged appearing female who'd questioned the regenerated female chuckled. Eyeing the awkward, teenaged appearing boy.

"He'll grow into it as we all will." Kolschei smiled at his friend who gave grateful look. "The main thing is that he has pledged to act to save others, to save individuals when the chance permits. We all have pledged that we will act in Time, prudently, but act. We won't be passive observers, holier than thou types unwilling to help. We'll do what we can."

"Within reason, without harm." The others intoned.

"Which sets us the most difficult task undertaken by any Time Lord or Lady since Rasillon." The regenerated female noted. "Lets never forget that, however much we accomplish. This is not a burden to be taken lightly, especially when none of us is over a hundred."

"Exactly why we must…The others have grown too old and fossilized. It's up to us to act and to help keep the Universe in sync. To act to repair the damage to Time not sit back and let things take their course, harrumphing about the responsibility to Fate and Time. After all, We of Gallifrey are the ones who first opened the gates to knowledge of Time. It's our duty to limit the consequences when we can, safely…Without harm." Kolschei noted. "Our duty to master fate…" grin.

"We get the pun, Kolschei." The Doctor frowned.

"All of us here agree, solemnly, to do what we can, without harm, to help others who suffer, particularly those suffering by the actions of Gallifrey. This is our sacred pledge, even alongside our pledges as Time Lord and Ladies to uphold the Codes and Laws of Gallifrey. We all swear? All of us?" Kolschei looked round the Circle, standing in his father's field of something rather like wheat but far more nutritious and rather good for skin troubles.

"We swear!" all raised hands.

…

"So bright, so brilliant, so full of promise Kolschei was…" the 13th Doctor told Davia, as they sat in her cell at Stormcage Prison… "So good and eager to help, he was. The madness then was minimal, even a positive force driving him on."

"It blinded you, to his future, then. As my own genius blinded others on Scaro…" Davia sighed.

"But you, like him, began with great goals in your heart. You to end the Scarian Wars, he to make the Time Lords a positive force, not merely unbiased Observers and occasionally, Sitters-in-Judgment, for the many, for individuals."

"Difficult task." Davia smiled.

"But in the end you did accomplish your goal…"

"With the help of my dearest friend and my worst enemy…" smile.

"And he, if the Lady President speaks true, found herself, at last." The Doctor noted.

"At a cost, it seems…"

"Yes…A cost I seemed to have incurred…" shake of head.

"Doctor. Whatever your people tell you, you are not to blame for the actions of each and every criminal maniac or demented maniac in the Universe simply because you piss them off by having great power and using it well." Hard stare, grin.

"Do I? I wonder, often…And I forget even more often. Wisely and well, eh?"

"Doctor you know very well I said, 'well'…I didn't say 'wisely'." Smile. "As you've said to me before, you're an idiot stumbling around, trying to help. And somehow, it always seems to come out to the good, in the end. Mostly. Often." Fond smile.

"Well, to the matter at hand. You need to reconfigure the TARDIS to break through a fixed time point for at least long enough to study it before either it tosses you back or a serious rupture in space-time occurs. And it's a point very far back in your timeline. Now that is a fascinating problem." Davia smiled.

"I need to go back and see my oldest friend and try to remember how he became what he became…" sigh.

"…And to let it happen, more or less, as it did."

"You're sure you interfered there?" Davia eyed her. "Even with no recollection of it?"

"The Lady President and the new Parliament seem to think so, as does the Papal Mainframe and your own Parliament of the Republic and a few other species experienced with time mechanics. I did check with all the experts I could. I must've got arrogant after saving you lot, I suppose."

"But the breech is contained, for now?" Davia asked.

"Confined to a closed-off parallel universe by the Time Lords…But the ramifications are too great to hold it there for long. They will spread and affect more universes until they damage all."

"I know you try to put all, right, Doctor but I can't see you doing this." Davia shook head. "I think they may be wrong…Don't close the door to the actions of others here."

"I don't know, I should hope I'd have the sense to avoid such an incursion but I have been taking big chances since I burned, then restored Gallifrey…"

"And I and your other enemies are aware of that…This could be me, my counterpart, or a thousand others…Though I should hope I or my counterpart wouldn't be so foolish." Wan smile.

"It wasn't you…Not only that I trust you, but you have no residual signature from such a catastrophic manipulation. Sorry, had to check." The Doctor noted, shrugging.

"I appreciate the trust…But it was wise to check. Even 60000 repeats of our efforts to teach me how to win might not have been enough, though I hope to the Powers That Be they were." Smile. "I don't think I could spend another billion years trapped in that fishing cabin with you. A week sometimes, certainly…If you don't cheat and put fish on your line again." Reproving look.

"Old trick, learnt it from River when she was doing Cleopatra…"

"Well, anyway, can we have a look at the holographic schematics…? I've a few ideas. Which may mean my counterpart likewise has some, so do not rule him out." Stern look.

"Davros? Never…" wave of hands. "But I really don't think he'd grasp how saving The Master early would break to his benefit. A better Universe quickly, with at least two Time Lords running about protecting and helping, just wouldn't look like victory to him."

"True enough…" nod. "He never quite grasped the big picture of Time."


	3. Chapter 3

"Disciple…"

Summary: The 13th Doctor finds restoring Gallifrey has consequences involving old friends and associated others…

[Note-Some references are made to events in my dual tales "Philippi" and "Missy Song"]

[Spoiler warning…Flee or proceed at your peril!

The events of "Spyfall I and II" are mentioned…

I've been awaiting the return of the Master in some form, disappointing as it was so far as Missy's partial redemptive arc went…And suspected they'd try another "Gallifrey destroyed" storyline largely to ease the budget and frankly due to lazy writing and imaginative slacking. Yes, yes but I'm not a well-paid BBC writer/producer so my drivel doesn't count…]

Disclaimer: No copywright infringement intended.

Part III…

The TARDIS…

"Aren't you going to tell me?" tense, grim voice…

"Tell you what?" The Doctor eyed her guest.

"This isn't like you…Torturing psychologically. I mean, on the surface…" the Spyfall Master in "O" form noted…

"Of course we both know you torture innocently…" he sneered. "Not a brute, like me…Oh, no. You just 'hold back' to 'protect' people from knowing things that could only hurt them. Yes, you are more like me than you know, Doctor."

"You were asking me something? To tell you…Ah…Here we are. Your TARDIS is parked outside. Best to be off before the Nazis find a strange old farmhouse in the middle of Paris, you know."

The Master frowned… "So just like that? I can go, off to do my mayhem? Even now, when you know…What I've done?"

"A thank you for getting you out of that dimension might be nice…Why not surprise me and try that, something utterly new for you?" the Doctor smiled at him.

"You look lovely." He grinned.

"There you go…Something utterly new. Thanks." She nodded.

"So…You plan to try to reverse what I've done, eh? Save Gallifrey…?" he eyed her.

"Done and done…Only…" she paused. "No, I'm sure you want to tell me…Well, go on…Tell me."

"What do you mean? I said I wouldn't tell and make it easy for you. The great secret of the Time Lords…The Lie they told us, all these centuries. Rescuing me, foolish act, won't change that."

"No…But…Hardly matters."

"You…You and your arrogant smugness. You never change!" he glared. "One day, Doctor…I will wipe that smug look from your face. Perhaps I'll take your form and kill all your Companions! Or, even better, win your trust as a Companion then betray you…And your arrogance…!"

He stared as she drummed fingers…Sipping at a cup of tea.

"I see I bore you…" he fumed.

"Yes, you do…Same old, same old…Well, do you want to tell me or just leave it for some future encounter…?"

He reddened…You…

"You're even worse as a woman than a man…One day, I'll regenerate into female form and Doctor, I will so torment you…"

She smiled…

"What?"

"Nothing…You really should either finish or just go…Nazis? Do you want to repeat that 77 years?"

"What is so amusing…? Wait? Have I been a woman? No…" he mentally checked his memories. "Damn you, why are you smiling like that?!"

"Kolschei…I'll be seeing you, I know…All too well. But I don't want to hurt you, as much as I've reason to…"

"Then…Know the Truth, Time Lord…Old friend." He gave a dramatic flourish…

"You…" "I…" "Destroyed Gallifrey!" both together on end, he staring.

"Sorry…" she sighed, shrugging… "Guess I do have a little of you in me. I shouldn't have stolen your thunder like that but…After poor Bill. Someone you haven't met…Yet."

"You know…Wait, who? Not met…Yet?" he stared.

"You're Time War, aren't you? Second or first regeneration after they brought you back?"

"What?!" he stared. "Nooo…No! You're simply trying to confuse me. I checked synchronization…"

"Davros' incursions during the War probably threw you off…No, Kolschei…You're early. And yes…I did destroy Gallifrey, with the Moment in the bubble they'd created. Or thought I had. But I didn't."

She paused…Always kind…She thought.

And it's only the truth…

"But you did have me for a moment when I followed those coordinates. Took me a moment to realize you'd sent me to the future but too early."

"Gallifrey is Destroyed! And you the Cause! Through me! I made you possible!" he insisted. "I made you capable of doing it!"

"But not permanently…Or, for real, if you prefer. If it's any comfort…? It did wound me, for a long, long time. Now you have a Time War to fight and keep trying to flee and I have much to do myself in all those centuries. Don't make me drop you out in mid-air…Nazis hate people falling on them." she eyed him.

"Liar! You lie!" he insisted but went to the door. "I will show you what you are, one day, Doctor! Like me, only worse! Because…"

"Because I had a choice and you didn't…Poor, poor Kolschei. I know." She nodded. "And I'm afraid it's worse than you know…Right now. Go on, then." She pressed to open the TARDIS' door. Sounds of alarm sirens and shouts from the street, German mostly…

"Enjoy it, Doctor." He grimly eyed her. "Enjoy being like me!" he went out the door and was lost in the fog of the street in an instant.

"And that was all…I shouldn't have told him but…" The Doctor, seated in the Storm Cage cell of Emperor Davia, noted, sighing.

"I'd no idea my breaking into the Time Matrix would have that kind of residual effect…" Davia pondered. "We need to factor that in…Did you ever see that one again?"

"I may…But never in the War…He must have been killed and regenerated, he could only escape the Time Lock for so long at that time, the Matrix was still too strong."


End file.
